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Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Book Review ~ Infiltrator (Forager #2) by Peter R. Stone

Infiltrator

(Forager #2)

by Peter R. Stone

Published April 30th 2014

For eighteen-year-old Ethan Jones, Nanako, and the surviving members of his foraging team, the trip back to Newhome is a nightmarish journey fraught with danger. When they do get back to Newhome, Nanako's dreams of a normal life are shattered when Ethan's jilted ex-fiancé makes it her personal goal to turn Nanako's life into a living hell. And as if that isn't enough, she and Ethan fall afoul of a senior officer of the town's draconian Custodian police force. To complicate matters, more memory fragments from Ethan's missing year surface, bewildering him with their horrific implications - what exactly did he get up to with the Hamamachi Rangers two years ago? Did they - did he - really commit such heinous crimes? Furthermore, a Hamamachi Ranger who used to have the hots for Ethan stumps him when she asks if Nanako has told him the dreadful things that happened to her after she was dumped back in Hamamachi two years ago. What are these disturbing secrets from her past that Nanako is hiding from him? Against this backdrop of personal anguish, the Hamamachi Rangers and ferocious Skel, dead set upon revenge, unleash their diabolical plan against Newhome. But how far will they go in their quest for vengeance? Can the Custodians stop them, or should Ethan risk his life again by stepping up to help save the town, going against Nanako and her insistence that he stay away from combat because she can't bear the thought of losing him.

I was given the honor of reviewing the first book in this series, Forager, a couple of months ago for Mr. Stone, and I absolutely loved it. So when Mr. Stone informed me book two, Infiltrator was out, it was a no-brainer for me to one click this title immediately – and let me tell you, I am so glad I did. Forager was amazing, but Infiltrator was over-the-top spectacular!Once again set in a post-apocalyptic Australia, we get to pick up right where Forager left off. Ethan and his friends have returned to Newhome after they had stopped the Custodians from nuking an entire town. The journey home was not an easy one as they cross paths with the Skel and some are injured. Once they do get home and questioned then released, they try to settle back into life. Of course, it seems that racism is rampant in Newhome, and some people make life harder for Ethan and Nanako, no thanks to Sienna. Throughout the story, Ethan starts to remember snippets of his lost memories and with each one, many shocking details emerge and everything is not as it seems, as secrets of betrayal and conspiracy come to light. Where Nanako seemed to be independent, confident and secure in book one, we get to see a more vulnerable girl in Infiltrator. Right out of the gate, the action was intense and continued throughout, keeping me on the edge of my seat the entire time. Unexpected allies are made and unlikely betrayals emerge. Mr. Stone really knows how to write a well-crafted story that keeps the reader engrossed and always guessing what’s going to happen next. This is an awesome adventure and I can’t wait to continue this journey in the next installment of this awesome trilogy. Well done Mr. Stone! Well done!

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Peter Stone, an avid student of history, was reading books on Ancient Greece from the age of four. Periods of interest include the ancient world, medieval era, Napoleonic times, and the Second World War. He still mourns the untimely passing of King Leonidas of Sparta and Field Marshal Michel Ney of France.A product of the Cold War Generation, Peter Stone studied the ramifications of a nuclear missile strike when he was in his senior year of high school, learning the effects of nuclear fallout and how to (hopefully) survive it. He has ever been drawn to post-apocalyptic and dystopian novels and films, and eagerly devoured The Day of the Triffids and John Christopher's Tripod Trilogy when he was a child. He is also an avid fan of science fiction, and his favorite books include the Lensmen Series by E.E.Doc.Smith, anything by Alastair Reynolds, and the Evergence trilogy by Sean Williams.Peter Stone graduated from Melbourne School of Ministries Bible College in 1988. He has been teaching Sunday School and playing the keyboard in church for over twenty-five years. His wife is from Japan and they have two wonderful children. He has worked in the same games company for over twenty years, but still does not comprehend why they expect him to work all day instead of playing games. Peter Stone, who suffers from major depressive disorder, also writes a blog, Do Not Let Your Hearts Be Troubled, that offers practical advice and words of comfort to those suffering from depression and anxiety, in the hope of helping them to cope with depression and speed them on the path to recovery.